Euonymus fortuneii 'Emerald Gaiety' is a versatile low growing evergreen shrub with small ovate leaves edged in creamy white tinged pink in cold weather. Its dense mounding habit makes it ideal as a ground cover or foundation plant and it can be trained to climb when supported. The foliage offers reliable year round interest, contrasting well with both flowering perennials and bold textured foliage plants.
Height & Spread: 12 - 24 in x 24 - 36 in
Bloom Time: Inconspicuous flowers in late spring
Light Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Soil Preference: Tolerates a wide range of soils, prefers well drained conditions
Watering Needs: Moderate; established plants are drought tolerant
Deer Resistance: Moderately deer resistant
Native Status
Euonymus fortuneii is native to East Asia. The 'Emerald Gaiety' cultivar is widely cultivated in North America for its ornamental and adaptable characteristics.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Birds
- Dense foliage provides winter cover and nesting habitat for small songbirds like chickadees and juncos.
Beneficial Insects
- Offers shelter to predatory insects such as lady beetles and lacewings during the growing season.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations:
- Allow 24 - 36 in spacing to accommodate mature spread and layered growth habit.
Landscape Placement:
- Use as a foundation planting, under shrubs, along slopes, or trained as a low climber over rocks and fences in sun or shade.
Companion Plants
- Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' - Silvery foliage and blue spring flowers brighten shaded areas beside Euonymus.
- Heuchera villosa 'Autumn Bride' - Soft green foliage and white blooms contrast the variegated evergreen leaves of Euonymus.
- Liriope muscari 'Big Blue' - Dense grasslike texture and purple flower spikes offer both ground cover and seasonal bloom.
- Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' - Cascading golden foliage highlights the structure and evergreen qualities of Euonymus.
- Hosta 'Halcyon' - Cool blue toned foliage adds contrast and thrives alongside Euonymus in partial shade.